What kind of bait do you use?

Hey guys,

I am relatively new to carp fishing. I have caught some gorilla carp using sweet corn but it is far from a durable bait. I have also tried oatmeal, chick peas, and bread. What other baits would you recommend? I plan on making dog food boilles (thanks to Erik from blackstonecarp).

Thanks!

pretty much everything you listed works well. you can also try out dipping "glugs" like molasses. They also like Garlic, Chilli powder and sweet flavors. My father still insists on Wheaties and beer...

Also, look into packbaits, lots of recipes out there.

edit: what about sweet corn isn't durable? Carp are pretty much the only thing that will touch sweet corn. I think I have more carp on sweet corn than anything else right now, with dogfood boilies being a super close 2nd.[/list]

Don't forget dough balls - white bread. Maize is very popular. It's dried corn you buy in a bag at feed stores. It needs to be soaked before use, and holds on the hook better than sweet corn from the can.

You can add a piece of yellow rig foam to the end of a hair rig behind a couple of pieces of corn,this will pop the bait up off the bottom which can be helpful at times and will stop the corn pulling off when casting. if you want a bottom bait presentation you can put a piece of maize in place of the foam,the maize is very tough compared to regular corn.
Boilies are my favourite option though,very durable.

Yeah boilies are my goto bait because they are selective and durable. Things like sweet corn, bread balls, chick peas, dough balls and such are great but they many fish will eat them from bullhead to sunfish etc and they aren't that durable.

I tend to bring a particle mix consisting of soaked and fermented Maize, chick peas, maple peas, sweet corn and various seed. I also bring a few flavors of homemade boilies..then a few odds and ends to round it out if I am having a slow day . I also try to bring pop-ups of some sort and artificial pop-up sweet corn and maize to give me some rig options.

People have caught carp on all sorts of things from luncheon meat to sweet corn, to hot dogs to maggots...they are omnivorous and opportunistic and will pick up a wide variety of things in order to test them out as possible foods. They like sweet and sour, salty and spicey as people have mentioned. There are tons of flavors ranging from almonds to crab and anything in between. Sometimes it is a matter of watercraft and paying attention. Carp by a mulberry tree, even when the mulberries aren't dropping, will recognize the mulberry scent/flavor. If a river has a bunch of shrimp or crayfish, you can be sure the carp will pick up shrimp or crayfish flavored baits...

I used dried oatmeal like Quaker oats, cup it in your hand and dip it in the water and snowball-it around a small treble hook...then be patience before setting the hook.

Dennis

I used dried oatmeal like Quaker oats, cup it in your hand and dip it in the water and snowball-it around a small treble hook...then be patience before setting the hook.

Dennis

Please don't use a treble hook, that's a good way to kill a fish.

A hair rig is preferred but not necessary, use bait straight on a single regular hook if you must.

I have never killed a carp with a treble hook, it never went past their lips, but if a hair rig is better then I'm game. I'll have to look up what a hair rig is though.

I use to always use treble hooks but switched to using boiles and hair rigs. Look up knot less hair rigs very easy to rig and bait stays on real good only problem I had was finding out how to keep the bait on a hair rig couldn't find out anywhere online. With the hair rig you tie a loop at the end of it I use a knitting needle to put threw the bait and use the loop and pull the bait on the hair then to keep it on you put anything from a pine needle to twig threw the loop and pull the bait back onto the twig or pine needle to keep it tight Very easy can't wait to get back to carp fishing ice gear is all packed up

I use to always use treble hooks but switched to using boiles and hair rigs. Look up knot less hair rigs very easy to rig and bait stays on real good only problem I had was finding out how to keep the bait on a hair rig couldn't find out anywhere online. With the hair rig you tie a loop at the end of it I use a knitting needle to put threw the bait and use the loop and pull the bait on the hair then to keep it on you put anything from a pine needle to twig threw the loop and pull the bait back onto the twig or pine needle to keep it tight Very easy can't wait to get back to carp fishing ice gear is all packed up

Look for bait stops. All over the place, bigcarptackle.com , scorpiontackle.com, couple others too.

The reason that I would use a treble hook is that the "snow-balled" oats would stay on the hook when I gave it my all and and heaved it as far as I can into the Merrimack River.

I have looked-up the hair rig, and will definitely try it.

Thanks guys.

The reason that I would use a treble hook is that the "snow-balled" oats would stay on the hook when I gave it my all and and heaved it as far as I can into the Merrimack River.

I have looked-up the hair rig, and will definitely try it.

Thanks guys.

I use oats too, just a little different than you do. Check out my packbait thread here on this forum.

http://www.mafishfinder.com/phpBB2/anyone-else-pack-bait-t5140.html

i know to some of the carp pros this may sound too easy but i bought the uncle josh carp bait. Its like playdough consistency sticks to the hook nice stays on the hook nice for 30 40 mins before you mightr wanna use that piece as chum and stick a new bait ball on. But that doesnt happen often because 8 out of 10 casts I hook one. I read mixed reviews some loved it some hated it I personally like it its easy and works great. Atleast in the carp pond i fish in Nashua it does.

i know to some of the carp pros this may sound too easy but i bought the uncle josh carp bait. Its like playdough consistency sticks to the hook nice stays on the hook nice for 30 40 mins before you mightr wanna use that piece as chum and stick a new bait ball on. But that doesnt happen often because 8 out of 10 casts I hook one. I read mixed reviews some loved it some hated it I personally like it its easy and works great. Atleast in the carp pond i fish in Nashua it does.

Great to hear your having success.

Its always a good thing to find yourself a bait you have confidence in. That way you always have something to fall back upon, if your endeavour into other baits fails.

With my 2 rods, I sometimes have my oats/cream corn pack going on one rod, and some sort of experiment on the other rod.

We use corn, creamy is a big key were we fish. Sometimes soaked with strawberry jello. Don't be afraid to use a bunch. The Carp will come all the way into the shore, so keep it close and QUIET...